Electrical Applications: Performance Comparison of Busway and Cable Applications in Power Systems

Traditional cables have been widely used in power systems, power communication, and other fields. However, in recent years, due to the promotion and popularization of CESKO bus ducts, many people believe that bus ducts can replace cables in the future. Is this really the case? Let's take a look at the difference between the two below!

Physical picture of cable

1、 Basic Definition

Cables are usually divided into single core cables and multi-core cables. A single core cable refers to a cable conductor composed of multiple copper wires wrapped in insulation layers; Multi core cable refers to a cable with multiple insulated conductors in the outer insulation protection layer.

Bus duct refers to a power supply and distribution system with electrical continuity composed of copper or aluminum bars wrapped in a metal shell through reasonable and safe construction.

Bus duct manufacturer OEM brand CESKO

2、 Performance comparison

1. Current carrying capacity

Cable: The maximum rated current of the cable used in the project is 1600 [* *], and the range of options is relatively small.

Bus duct: The maximum rated current of the bus duct used in the project can reach 6300 [* *], with a wide range of options available.

2. Installation and construction

Cable: Installation requires a large amount of space and a large number of construction personnel; When laying openly, cable trays need to be used, and when laying underground, trenches need to be dug, which poses many safety hazards.

Bus duct: easy to install, requiring fewer construction personnel; At the same time, the bus duct structure is compact, occupies less space, and is aesthetically pleasing and neat after installation.

3. Operation and maintenance

Cable: Due to the easy wear and aging of materials, regular inspection, maintenance, and even replacement are required.

Busway: Daily maintenance is relatively simple, usually only requiring measuring the temperature rise of the shell, core bolts, and incoming box joints to grasp the current status of the busbar system.

Bus duct manufacturer CESKO has developed an intelligent monitoring system for bus ducts, which can remotely monitor the operation status of bus ducts in real time.

4. Tap method

Cable: It needs to be tapped on site, and the tapping ability is poor; Even pre branched cables require specially customized branch connectors, which are relatively expensive.

Busbar duct: Generally, a plug-in installation and tapping method is used, with a plug-in box opening left every few meters, making tapping very convenient.

5. Fire resistance performance

Cable: The insulation layer and outer sheath of ordinary cables are prone to combustion at high temperatures; Although fire-resistant cables are available, the price is high.

Bus duct: The shell is made of metal material, which will not burn and has flame-retardant properties.

Cable installation and maintenance are cumbersome and require a large number of personnel

6. Heat dissipation performance

Cable: The insulation layer and outer sheath of the cable can both insulate and insulate. When laying cables in the cable tray, a maximum of 2 layers are allowed to be laid, otherwise it is not conducive to heat dissipation.

Bus duct: It can use air conduction for heat dissipation and dissipate heat through tightly connected metal shells, with superior heat dissipation performance.

7. Economic costs

Cable: It has significant energy loss, high additional wasted electricity costs, and a service life of no more than 15 years. It is prone to joint aging, insulation layer detachment, and other phenomena, requiring frequent replacement, resulting in higher overall costs compared to bus ducts.

Bus duct: More energy-efficient than cables, with a service life of over 30 years, and easy maintenance in the later stage. Its overall cost of use is lower than that of cables. Taking the use of CESKO's new energy-saving busbar trunking as an example, it can save 7% to 10% of costs compared to using cables, and the product's payback time is also shorter than that of cables, with decades of sustainable profitability after payback.

CESKO: Bus duct installation and maintenance are simple, requiring fewer personnel

In summary, the use of bus ducts has more significant advantages than cables in low-voltage power supply and distribution systems. In the future, bus ducts will also replace cables in some fields and be widely used.

The selection of which bus duct to use depends on the specific project situation. For example, for users with tight initial investment funds, it is recommended to choose CESKO nano aluminum alloy busbar trunking, which has better purchase cost and performance than cables; To achieve the overall goal of energy conservation and consumption reduction, CESKO's new energy-saving intensive bus duct can be used, which has a lower overall cost than using cables.